would you be happy with this childs pony? Very worried about my cousins child!

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lucy_jw

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please tell me i am not being over protective! My cousin has recentley taken a pony on full loan for her child, the pony is supposed to be a lead rein to first ridden pony but i am very worried that he is more of a teenagers pony not a very slightly built 7 year old! He does not like his feet being picked, goes crazy at the sound of clippers, is not very good being led and has to use daisy rein as he puts his head down a lot. He also bucks when off the lead rein and is extremeley strong and forward going.going.going.going.going. Hates being boxed and rears. He also rubs his head quite hard up and down his handler. He was loaned as a bombproof kids pony with no vices. I have told my cousin i would really think about sorting the issues out, she said it does not worry her?! Am i being too sensible lol
 
I suppose it depends on how experienced your cousin and her child is? However, I wouldnt be too happy with the situation myself, nor would I be too happy with a 7 year old riding a pony like that. Hmm, difficult one.
 
haha that sounds just like my first pony...i was 7 and he was 4 still own him now we grew up together he was a nightmare but i loved him, i had ridden since 3 though and was pretty good for my age. I would however be questioning it as this pony is not what it is advertised as, whereas we knew mine was a nutter!! He is now 10years on a perfect leadrein/first ridden pony!
 
yikes doesn't sound good. Is there any chance she is feeding him too much and that is making him silly? I wouldn't mind the clipping issues as any horse can be difficult to clip no matter how quiet they are! I would certainly be reconsidering this pony for a young child. It could ruin his confidence
 
She'll have to learn the hard way that there is a difference between being a good lead rein and can't-risk-letting-off-the-lead-rein.
 
Oh no doesnt sound ideal at all!!

Thats why I've decided to take a step back now with selling my little project and keep working on him. I want him to be a childs pony and he can be EXTREMELY good but can also have funny moments and get strong. Even so he sounds better than this one!!!!! Can your cousin borrow a slightly bigger capable rider to help? Although tbh I'd be looking for a new loan pony!
 
How does the child feel about the pony? What may be completely unsuitable for one child might be really good fun for another.
 
The thing is, your cousin is unlikely to clip him, or in all probability pick is feet out, I wouldn't let a 7yo pick out feet unless on a foot perfect pony and then tbh it's to give them the idea, you still have to do it yourself.
A lead rein is a lead rein, you're not supposed to be able to leave the child with it and say, there you go, get on with it.
Is he good on the lead rein? That's what it says on the tin.
And most 7yos (and it is the 7yo, not the pony!) need daisy reins, since ponies can tow about half a ton if they need to, let alone a little kid's arms, in my experience!
 
skewbald_again said:
The thing is, your cousin is unlikely to clip him, or in all probability pick is feet out, I wouldn't let a 7yo pick out feet unless on a foot perfect pony and then tbh it's to give them the idea, you still have to do it yourself.
A lead rein is a lead rein, you're not supposed to be able to leave the child with it and say, there you go, get on with it.
Is he good on the lead rein? That's what it says on the tin.
And most 7yos (and it is the 7yo, not the pony!) need daisy reins, since ponies can tow about half a ton if they need to, let alone a little kid's arms, in my experience!
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In my personal opinion , A lead rein pony IS the type of pony that you can or should be able to trust if for instance you where to let the child off lead rein .

Our old lead rein pony was a lead rein, first ridden, showjumper, working hunter, showing, dressage, hacking ..... you name it, he did it ,I could trust him with my smallest child ....even off lead rein .

Have a look at some of the ad's online .... "leadrein .... quiet with the smallest of child "

NOT

"lead rein , bucks when off lead rein, can't pick his/her feet out etc etc "


So yes OP I would be worried ! :o
 
Colleen_Miss_Tom said:
In my personal opinion , A lead rein pony IS the type of pony that you can or should be able to trust if for instance you where to let the child off lead rein .

Our old lead rein pony was a lead rein, first ridden, showjumper, working hunter, showing, dressage, hacking ..... you name it, he did it ,I could trust him with my smallest child ....even off lead rein .

Have a look at some of the ad's online .... "leadrein .... quiet with the smallest of child "

NOT

"lead rein , bucks when off lead rein, can't pick his/her feet out etc etc "


So yes OP I would be worried ! :o
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Well in MY opinion, what you're describing is a bombproof first pony, and if that's what they're after, then yes they're in trouble.

A lead rein pony is a pony for a child to show (or what ever) on the lead rein, and need not necessarily be reliable off the lead rein, nor suitable for a child to handle and play with.

I sold a bombproof first pony last year, and he was a four legged hairy little saint. What he wasn't was a lead rein pony, though of course, he is good on the lead rein.
 
skewbald_again said:
Well in MY opinion, what you're describing is a bombproof first pony, and if that's what they're after, then yes they're in trouble.

A lead rein pony is a pony for a child to show (or what ever) on the lead rein, and need not necessarily be reliable off the lead rein, nor suitable for a child to handle and play with.

I sold a bombproof first pony last year, and he was a four legged hairy little saint. What he wasn't was a lead rein pony, though of course, he is good on the lead rein.
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You could also say that a leadrein pony has to have manners, what the OP described is NOT leadrein pony with manners ;) :p
 
Seriously though, I always advise people to be VERY leary of the term 'lead rein' as unless it is heavily qualified, this is rather the point, it doesn't mean the pony can be let OFF the lead rein, EVER!
 
skewbald_again said:
Seriously though, I always advise people to be VERY leary of the term 'lead rein' as unless it is heavily qualified, this is rather the point, it doesn't mean the pony can be let OFF the lead rein, EVER!
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True .



To the OP I am a person that when I went "shopping" for a lead rein pony, I looked at the temperment, what my child was like with said pony both on and off the ground .

To me a lead rein pony is not just a pony that is on the lead rein, it has to be trusted off lead rein also .

But like I said, I wouldn't be happy at all with the pony you describe with ANY young child .
 
Smash said:
She'll have to learn the hard way that there is a difference between being a good lead rein and can't-risk-letting-off-the-lead-rein.
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hahaha :-)

It does not sound ideal however some of these things are perhaps not that important for the child - presumably the 7 year old is not going to be the person who will need to struggle with clipping and loading it... ?

Most ponies are not perfect :-) If they want to keep it, here are some thoughts on things that may help:

* If the pony has recently moved, it may also take a little while to settle in.
* As other people have mentioned, perhaps it may work to reduce the amount of hard feed the pony is being given?
* Consider the amount of work, and whether this is less than before, or less than the pony may like.
* If the pony is very forward going and a bit to exuberant and you have already looked at food and exercise, what about turnout? Is (s)he always turned out prior to riding? Some ponies fare better when they live out 24/7...
* If your cousin is an experienced handler, she may also be able to address some of the handling issues with some groundwork. For example, loading may not be a problem once the leading has been sorted out. In most cases it is not that tricky to improve leading through a bit of groundwork.
 
Sounds like every pony I had as a child.
Get an adult to do the feet I presume it doesn't kick when you try just doesn't. The little one won't be clipping it and I know plenty of equines that don't like clippers but are fine with everything else. Many children's ponies aren't good being led because they are regularly led by small children and think they can get away with it, just have an adult on the other side to remind it. Bucking off the lead rein is a bit of a bugger but hopefully is just high spirits being off the lead rein and may be reduced by finding a tiny adult or teenager to give it blow out every so often. As for loading again hopefully the child doesn't do this on their own as you know the problems and its something to be worked on.
We have two ponies we loan out, both children's ponies and both when sent out have impeccable manners but the amount of times they've come home deciding they won't pick up their feet etc. Makes you think these people just think well its not my horse so what do I care if they get naughty, especially as it only takes a week back home to remind them not to be a git.
I do think the advert is a bit misleading but if it doesn't spook when on the lead rein it could be described as bomb-proof. But at the same time I think with loan ponies you must expect to certain extent to maintain discipline especially with small ponies who so quickly get naughty.
 
she has never owned a horse, she used to help out on my dads yard when we were children. I kind of feel its the pony she never had. He is terrified of him and she said he will need to stop being a baby and get on with it
 
lucy_jw said:
she has never owned a horse, she used to help out on my dads yard when we were children. I kind of feel its the pony she never had. He is terrified of him and she said he will need to stop being a baby and get on with it
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She sounds like a delightful parent . I wonder will she have the same attitude when the child seriously injures himself :( .

I can't stand pushy parents !
 
have to sayif he is scared of it then why doesnt she give it back & get something bigger for her as it sounds like she wants to rode more than him.

my 3 have a little sec A who is a nervy git with adults but my 2yo can do anything with him, they ride as often as they want & if they ever say no then they dont have to & i lunge/longrien/drive him instead, pushy parent are those risking their kids most in my eyes as a nevry rider is more likley to make a pony nervy or overconfident in loosing its rider & get the child dumped & hurt.
 
OP, I just had a little look at your previous posts (I'm not a stalker, just trying to get where you are coming from!) and I just wonder if you aren't transferring your own concerns a bit?

Maybe your cousin has the situation in hand, and I'm almost certain she knows her own son better than anyone else? Just a different perspective. :)
 
skewbald_again said:
Maybe but you only ever get one side of the story on here, that's easy to forget.
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Yup totally agree, but then we can only post on what the OP has said :) :)


Unfortunately some times we just have to be a little niave and trust (with a small pinch of salt :p ) what the OP has said .


*shuffles up onto the fence*

Come join me :D
 
thank you for your comments. I am not judgemental just wondered what others thought guess i kind of respected the opinion of people on here, but i shall crawl back to my little corner now......
 
I'd never put my kid on a pony like that. My 8 year old has a shetland who can be cheeky - if he's had enough whilst son's riding he'll just turn round and walk back to the stables, for example! Or he'll just do what he wants when son is leading him, knowing that poor boy can't stop him. However, he does not buck or rear or bolt or bite or kick - the requisites for a child's pony in my opinion. All my kid's ponies over the years have been the same, some cheeky but never dangerous.
 
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Lead rein ponies are funny things - many are described as ideal LR or second pony! What does that mean??

We had a 4yr old sec A for my son - initially as a companion for my horse, but he got so interested it became his pony. It towed me everywhere with him, with me yanking on its leadrein all the time! I'm an instructor, and I never thought we'd ever get him off the leadrein on this pony! However, with a lot of time, and indeed some pushing from me (get back in there and push it back!!) they actually turned into a lovely partnership. My son is not a brave rider either. One day, while doing clear round jumping on the leadrein, I decided I couldn't keep up, and just threw the leadrein over the neck for the last two jumps! That was them off the leadrein! As the pony was forward going, it was easy for him to keep going himself once off the leadrein. My friend's son's bombproof pony won't go faster than a trot with her son, let alone jump, so its really hard for him now he's off the leadrein. Sometimes I thind the forward going ones are beter if you can keep them on the leadrein for a good while until they are bigger.. ot many of us can spend the money that you need to get the perfect pony. There are not that many around. Believe me, I teach at pony club! He went onto pass his E, D and D+ on the pony, and win many rosettes and trophies. The pony has now gone onto another home, and is doing great. You still can't get too near it with clippers, but why does a leadrein pony need clipping anyway?

Many ponies are little gits - especially with someone diddy who they know that they can tow around. If its a new pony it will need to settle down. Hopefully they will get lessons and join the pony club.. The thing that works best with this type of pony is finding a child who is 11/12 and a bit bigger who can get on and ride them from time to time - so they don't get away with everything...

Its a difficult one - you don't want them wrapped up in cotton wool too much, but you don't want them hurt either!
 
lucy_jw said:
thank you for your comments. I am not judgemental just wondered what others thought guess i kind of respected the opinion of people on here, but i shall crawl back to my little corner now......
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That's not really necessary. You asked for an opinion. The judgemental cousin comment was a bit tongue in cheek, but looking at your other posts, you are struggling with your own confidence issues, which is fair enough, and had been a bit nervous around handling another pony, iirc, and so therefore, I did wonder if perhaps you were seeing dragons where there were none.

It's very easy to sit in judgement on someone on a board like this who is not here to defend themselves (I do it myself often enough - people who give away 28 year old ponies, and students who deface the cenotaph - hanging's too good for them and I don't CARE if they're here to defend themselves! :D )

All I'm saying is, it sounds like you have stuff to deal with yourself, and tbh, most mums do have their kids' best interests at heart don't they? With the odd notable exception.
 
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